Vote-begistering machine



E. E. HINES.

VOTE REGISTERING'MACHJNE.

APPLiCATION H LED FEB. 24, 1920.

Patented June 7, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

v INVENTOR arrow/v5 -UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

VOTE-REGISTERING- IvIACI-IINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. 7

Patented Jam '7, 1921.

Application filed February 24, 1920. Serial No. 361,064.

T 0 all whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, EUGENE E. Ensure, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Lawrenceville and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Vote-Registering Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The present invention is in the nature of a vote registering machine for use in congresses, lodge balls, or public assemblies of any kind, for registering the aggregate votes upon any question.

Another object is to provide such a machine for registering the number of voters present, and separately registering the numher who vote no and those who vote yes upon any question.

A further object is to provide a machine of this kind in a simple, practical and efiicient form, best adapted to carry out the purposes intended.

In the drawings, wherein is embodied a preferred form of construction,

Figure 1 is a top plan view.

Fig. 2, a vertical, sectional view.

Fig. 3, a side elevation.

Fig. 4, a detail of the push button mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a detail of the arrow mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the layout of the apparatus.

Referring particularly to the drawings, the invention consists of a central cylinder 1, vertically and permanently mounted upon a base 2, and having pierced through its walls a plurality of ports, as represented at 3, 4.- and 5. These ports are arranged in horizontally alined tiers around the circumference of the cylinder 1; one tier of ports as 3 representing, for instance, the aye votes, another tier as 4; representing the nay votes, and another tier as 5 representing and indicating the voters present. These respective tiers as 3, 4 and 5 have their ports also in vertical alinement as shown. Annular guide-ways as 6, 7 and 8 are permanently mounted around the outer face of the cylinder 1 immediately above each tier of ports aforesaid, and these guide-ways are each adapted to carry on roller bearings, such as 9, 10 and 11, automatic counters as 12, 13 and 14, same having triggers 33, and each being adapted to cover and account for one of the tiers of ports, as will hereafter appear. Within the cylinder 1, mounted in this arrangement may be supplemented 'by a spring 34; bearing against a brace 35. Thus each lndlvldual port has its individual arrow, so mounted. Immediately beneath the tails 18 of the arrows 15 are mounted the.

armatures 19, same being pivoted at 20 and thus adapted to swing upwardly against the tails 18. These armatures 19 are of mag netic metal and thus adapted to be acted upon by 'the electromagnets 21, same being energized by the electric current passing through the conductors 22; thus as the magnets 21 are energized, the armatures 19 are drawn upwardly and impinge against the tails 18 of the arrow 16, thus causing the arrows 15 to rock outwardly through the ports 3, 4:, and 5, as the case may be, and thus indicating yes, no, or present, for the member operating that arrow. The conductors 22 lead to the desks 23 of the members and upon each desk is located a push button system 241, there being metal push buttons 25, 26, 27, respectively to indicate yes, no, or present. (These push buttons are adapted to close the electric circuit through the magnets 30 and 21 and as the push buttons are depressed and close the circuit as aforesaid, the magnets 30 hold the buttons down within the sockets 31 so that they cannot be again manipulated until the circuit is opened. After the circuit is opened, the springs 32 throw the push buttons back up into operative position. Above the tiers of ports 3, A and .5, and in vertical alinement therewith, may be written or mounted the names of the voters, as represented on Fig. 3. The conductors 22 are connected with any suitable source of electrical energy.

In operation, as the names of the members are called each may respond present, or vote no or yes, by pressing the proper button which closes the electric circuit and causes the arrow 15 to project through the proper port. When the vote is complete, the counters 12, 13 and 14: are rotated around the cylinder 1, whereby the triggers 33 of said counters are caused to come into contact with the heads of the arrows 15, thus causing the total votes to be registered upon the respective counters. The current is then turned oli, causing the elements of the apparatus to return to their original positions.

While I have herein described a certain speci'iic method oi constructing and assembling the elements of my invention, is understood same may be varied in minor details, not departing from the spirit of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim to be new and patentable is:

1. in a voting machine, a vertically mounted cylinder; horizontal rows of ports cut through the cylinder wall, a row for each record desired; arrows pivoted within the cylinder, one at each port and adapted to oscillate their heads therethrough; and means for moving said arrows as indicated.

2. in a voting machine, a vertically mounted cylinder, horizontal rows of ports cut through the cylinder wall, a row for each record desired; arrows pivoted within the cylinder, one at each port, and adapted to oscillate their heads therethrough; an automatic counter mounted to travel outwardly along each row 01" ports, said counter having a trigger adapted to engage said projected arrow heads; and means for moving said arrows as indicated.

3. A voting machine, comprising a vertica ly mounted cylinder; horizontal rows of ports out therethrough, a row for each record desired; arrows pivoted within the cylinder, one each port and adapted to oscillate their heads therei'phroughg push buttons located to the hand of the voter, a button for each record desired; electromagnetic EUGENE E. HINES.

Witnesses EnsIL D. Hrnns, E. A. HINES. 

